Survey aims to gauge acceptance of LGBTQ community in Franklin County

The American and gay pride flags fly at half-mast over the LGBT Community Center of Central Florida, Monday, June 13, 2016. The Center is a gay-rights support group in Orlando, located about 4 miles from the Pulse nightclub where the massacre occurred on Sunday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)(Photo11: Joe Burbank, AP)

Local organizations are surveying county residents' on their attitudes toward the LGBTQ community, at a time when an ongoing survey by GLAAD shows the nation has taken steps backward.

The Franklin County Coalition for Progress and the Franklin County Equality Center are conducting the survey, which aims to gauge the needs of the county's LGBTQ population and the level of acceptance felt by their neighbors, according to a news release from the coalition.

"The ongoing attacks on basic rights, the rollbacks of protections and guidance in schools along with the nominations of anti-LGBTQ legislators have made Americans feel more comfortable in voicing their discomfort with marginalized groups as a whole, and LGBTQ in particular," the coalition's release said.

The coalition, which is a nonprofit that focuses on advancing social justice and equality to all residents in the area, said eventually the two organizations hope to use the survey's results to guide its future efforts in education and services in the area.

“It’s important to get input from everyone in the community so we have an understanding of where to focus our efforts,” said Melissa Mattson, co-chair of the Franklin County Equality Committee.

Earlier this year, the Chambersburg Borough Council voted 8-2 to approve a resolution endorsing an anti-discrimination bill currently in the state Senate. The resolution aims to encourage the Pennsylvania General Assembly to enact Senate Bill 613, which would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression in employment, housing and public accommodations.

Although the resolution was approved, the issue did spark a heated debate among residents during the public comments portion of the meeting.

The coalition said the borough's approval of this resolution showed the need for more information to be gathered on the subject. It added the two organizations would "like to know how residents in our community view these issues and what the LGBTQ community needs to ensure they feel welcome and protected here."

The equality center and the coalition are hoping to get responses from wide selection of the area's population, the release said. The information will eventually be used to create programs to fill needs and education to foster acceptance.